The invention relates generally to assembly apparatus particularly suitable for use in the manual assembly of circuit carrier plates upon which electrical components must be mounted. The invention is more specifically related to a mounting arrangement whereby receptacles for the components which are to be mounted upon the carrier plates may be located beneath a working surface of the apparatus for operative movement therein.
In assembly apparatus known from the prior art, for example German Utility Model No. 77 12 802, a mounting arrangement of the type referred to above is disclosed wherein a guide track loop of the mounting arrangement is formed of two essentially U-shaped guide track portions each of which are located within one of two superposed planes. The track portions are connected to each other through two transition pieces which are slightly inclined relative to the planes. Due to the fact that receptacles are guided along a guide track loop in two superposed planes, the spacing between a working surface of the apparatus and the knees of an operator sitting in position at the working surface may be efficiently utilized. However, in this known mounting arrangement a disadvantage arises in that the guide track loop must undergo deflections at a total of eight locations thereby requiring an equivalent number of guide devices for the receptacles.
Accordingly, the design of a mounting arrangement of this type tends to be cumbersome and expensive. The large number of guide devices required increases the susceptibility of the mounting arrangement to operating difficulties which are especially likely to occur at the guide devices.
In a further prior art arrangement, known from German Offenlegungsschrift No. 24 31 398, a mounting arrangement having a guide track loop with a horizontal axis is provided with receptacles which are suspended therein in the manner of a pendulum. However, in the case of this prior art, an elongated guide track loop extends essentially vertically behind the edge of a working surface which faces away from an operator. The guide track loop is arched toward the operator above the working surface in order to move the receptacles to a position closer to the operator in order to enable removal of the contents. However, such a position is ergonomically disadvantageous since the operator must reach quite high for removal of such contents.
By contrast to the foregoing, the present invention is intended to provide a mounting arrangement which is simpler in design and which may operate more reliably. For example, the invention is intended to enable an operator to remove components from receptacles in a more convenient manner and in a more comfortable position with the operator's forearms resting upon a working surface which is easily accessible whereby assembly operations which would otherwise require longer time periods may be significantly simplified.
More particularly, the invention is especially directed toward providing an apparatus wherein an operator seated at the apparatus may conveniently reach a working surface of the apparatus while the knees of the operator may be comfortably placed beneath receptacles movably arranged on the underside of the working surface.